[Elixir]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/10...ntent=2047

Two men trolled some 'food experts' at an expo in The Netherlands by simply presenting various McDonald's menu items as "high end" and "organic." Theres a video in the article, which is worth watching just to see the peoples reactions to eating the food, along with what they say.

Quote:

Presented with bite-size samples attractively arranged on a platter with serving toothpicks, the patsies in this little experiment react with effusive praise. (While the pranksters are clearly gleeful about duping people whom they describe as culinary or organic "experts," we don't really know who they are.)

"The taste is very rich," one person tells the fake restaurateurs, who go by Sacha and Cedrique and work for Lifehunters.TV, an outfit that specializes in creating viral content.

"It's definitely a lot tastier than McDonald's. You can just tell this is a lot more pure," offers another taste-tester.

"It rolls around the tongue nicely; if it were wine, I'd say it's fine," says a third.

It may not have been people being tricked or acting pretentious though, NPR cites a study that found that people psychologically react better to food/drinks when told it was expensive, or just 'better' using wine as an example.

Quote:

In one study, researchers gave subjects wine to sample and scanned their brains using an fMRI scanner. The subjects all drank the same wine twice. But on one occasion, they were told it was a $90 bottle, while another time they thought it was a $10 bottle.

Not only did these subjects report that the wine tasted better when it was presented as a much pricier vintage, but their brains reacted differently, too. Scans showed increased oxygen and blood flow to the medial orbitofrontal cortex, a part of the brain believed to play a role in how we experience pleasure in food and other types of rewards.

[SteveMcMahon]

Quote:

people psychologically react better to food/drinks when told it was expensive

This is why I have a £1,000,000 price tag affixed to my cock.

[komatiite]

Thanks for the post, that was hilarious. Wish they revealed the truth after the food experts finished creaming their jeans at the organic offerings!

[Elixir]

Quote:

This is why I have a £1,000,000 price tag affixed to my cock.

[spokepoker]

I dont think anyone in that video were actual "food experts" (whatever the fuck that is).
It kind of looked like they were just handing out samples at a mall.
With a camera and microphone being shoved in those taster's faces, when asked about the fare that will be served at these guy's "new restaurant", I'm pretty sure everyone is going to be nice about it.
Course, they could have just edited out all the people who said it tasted like shit.

edit: personally, I like mcdonalds, burger king, wendy's, taco bell, etc. I don't eat that kind of food very often (too expensive), but when i do, it's delicious.

[The Beast1]

I have the opposite problem, when something is more expensive I expect more out of it. I am then always disappointed when the more expensive products end up being lack luster. I've had this happen with movies, organic food, expensive restaurants, and bars which only makes me want to stay at home and invite people in because I feel I can do it better.

I cook better than most restaurants and I can do it for a fraction of the price.

[Elixir]

Quote:

I dont think anyone in that video were actual "food experts" (whatever the fuck that is).
It kind of looked like they were just handing out samples at a mall.

@Spokepoker
Yeah, I agree. The article also mentions the same thing. In the video, the way they described the food, saying things like it being "rich," or having a "pure" taste just makes them come across as snobby. Like beerand wine snobs.

[Sonsowey]

I remember when I was young, my giitar teacher came over. He was an audiphile of coursem a vinyl junkie. I was playing a beatles CD on my dvd player through my TV using only the shitty built in speakers. He walks in and says "wow, youre playing the beatles on vinyl? It sounds great!"

[birdie num num]

Check out this segment of Penn & Teller's Bullshit. It's the same idea but using bottled water that actually comes from a garden hose. It's hilarious!

[Veloce]

(10-24-2014 01:02 PM)frenchie Wrote:  

I have the opposite problem, when something is more expensive I expect more out of it. I am then always disappointed when the more expensive products end up being lack luster. I've had this happen with movies, organic food, expensive restaurants, and bars which only makes me want to stay at home and invite people in because I feel I can do it better.

I cook better than most restaurants and I can do it for a fraction of the price.

I was about to say this.

I'm not above my own human hardwiring, but with a certain amount of expertise in any field you learn to sniff out bullshit pretty well.

Restaurant plating in fine dining restaurants always cracks me up. You get shit like this:



Looks nice, right? The type of food you would expect if you were paying $300+ per person? It's a major troll job. Making food look like this requires about $5 worth of equipment and a little practice. So chefs serve less food on the plate, make it look more "artistic" (if that's art then the sky is green), and charge insane prices for it.

Because the food looks like that, the diners automatically perceive it as "higher quality", but you can take any random grocery store quality produce and make it look like that. It's a huge scam. And as someone that has eaten in some of the most expensive restaurants in the world, I can safely assert, that in 99% of all cases, the more elaborate the food looks, the worse it tastes. It's INCREDIBLY rare that food is presented like that dish above, and has the flavor to match it, though it does happen and I can name those restaurants.

I could take a can of chili, some sprouts, canola oil, food coloring, paprika, and stale bread and make it look like the most modern, fancy, $45 entree you've ever seen.

[spokepoker]

I'm waiting to see what thedude has to input.

[TigerMandingo]

(10-24-2014 02:19 PM)Veloce Wrote:  

Because the food looks like that, the diners automatically perceive it as "higher quality", but you can take any random grocery store quality produce and make it look like that. It's a huge scam.

In their defense, I believe food presentation is one of the deciding factors in handing out Michelin stars, though I'm sure you're more well-versed on the topic. So I don't know if it's these chefs or the pressure they feel to make the food look like that.

[Foolsgo1d]

Quote:

It may not have been people being tricked or acting pretentious though, NPR cites a study that found that people psychologically react better to food/drinks when told it was expensive, or just 'better' using wine as an example.

I have a much simpler explanation for it.

This is porn for them. They're reacting this way because psychologically their brain is sampling the delight. it is the placebo affect.

Its just a bunch of pretentious bullshitters acting like they know something.

[Veloce]

(10-24-2014 04:06 PM)spokepoker Wrote:  

I'm waiting to see what thedude has to input.

Ahem

<----

Quote:

In their defense, I believe food presentation is one of the deciding factors in handing out Michelin stars, though I'm sure you're more well-versed on the topic. So I don't know if it's these chefs or the pressure they feel to make the food look like that.

This is very true, which is why many people, usually the older generation, are giving their finger to the Michelin guide. It's been one of the major criticisms of the Michelin guide that they reward restaurants that cook in this new International style that's removed from local character, identity, and flavor.

[Drazen]

I like to eat well and am pretty knowledgeable in a variety of food knowledge, but I despise the moniker "foodies". A lot of them are real poseurs and pretentious. God help you go to something like an Anthony Bourdain talk, all the freaks come out.